Sheffield – 05 May 2025:
China’s Zhao Xintong has taken a commanding 11–6 lead over three-time world champion Mark Williams on the opening day of the 2025 World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible Theatre, setting the stage for a potential historic victory on Monday.
Zhao, 28, dominated the first session, storming to a 7–1 advantage in the best-of-35-frame final. His fluent break-building and positional control left the Welshman struggling to keep pace. It was a blistering display from the Chinese qualifier, who is hoping to become China’s first-ever world snooker champion.
In the early frames, Zhao capitalized on a series of uncharacteristic errors from Williams, whose best effort in the opening session—a break of 61 in the sixth frame—was squandered when he failed to convert it into a frame win. The Welshman, who turned 50 earlier this year, looked visibly off rhythm and frustrated as Zhao surged ahead.
However, the second session saw a spirited response from Williams, one of the sport’s most experienced competitors and the oldest player ever to reach a Crucible final. The three-time world champion (2000, 2003, 2018) found better form in the evening, winning five of the nine frames played in the second session to cut the deficit to five frames.
Despite Williams’ mini-revival, the task ahead remains enormous. No player has successfully overturned such a large overnight deficit in a Crucible final since the tournament moved to the iconic Sheffield venue in 1977. History, it seems, is on Zhao’s side.
Zhao’s appearance in the final has drawn considerable attention—not only for his dazzling play but also due to his return to the sport after a 20-month ban imposed in January 2023 for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal that rocked the snooker world. His comeback has been remarkable, culminating in this potential crowning moment.
If Zhao holds on to win the title on Monday, he will earn a winner’s cheque of £500,000 (approximately $664,000 USD)—the biggest payday of his career—and become a national sporting hero in China.
As the final day approaches, all eyes will be on whether Zhao can finish the job or if the seasoned Williams can produce one of the greatest comebacks in World Championship history.
